Countdown
by xNightValkyrie
Summary: Rai has known Ichigo before Rukia's appearance, and has being dating him for a while, but it turns out that her destiny won't let them be together, even though they love each other deeply. IchigoxOC - Oneshot


**_One year ago…_**

I looked at the cherry blossom petals dancing in front of me, it reminded of everything _we_ had gone through together. Right now, it was the only thing that could cheer me up and erase all those sad memories from my mind. As I heard his footsteps, I looked away, sitting down on the wooden bench, taking one cherry blossom flower and tearing apart the petals.

"Oi! Rai!" I looked up at his figure, he was wearing his gray scarf along with a light brown jacket, waving at me. I tried to pull out a smile and wave back to him.

"Hey, Ichigo." I followed him with my eyes as he sat down beside me, his eyes showing so much care and love I couldn't bear to look at him anymore…

"What's wrong? You look pale."

"Ichigo…" how should I say it so I would cause the less damage possible…? I looked once again at his eyes, but my heart only fell apart. I let my head fall down and let my bangs overshadow my eyes. I can't do better than this. "Ichigo… my parents… they told me we're moving to America…"

**_Eight months ago…_**

I looked in front of me, towards my classmates. Today was the last day I would spend with my friends in Karakura Town. I looked at Tatsuki, Orihime and Ichigo, they looked at me sadly. I tried to smile at them.

"Don't worry. I'll never forget you guys!" I took a deep breath and took Ichigo's hands in mine. Even though I had to leave him, he hadn't said a thing against it, he stayed by my side every day, both of us cherishing our last days together.

"Ichigo, being with you, being able to be loved by you, being able to share those moments with you, everything really brightened up my life. I'll never forget about you. I hope you'll be able to find your other half." I bit my lips, holding back my tears. I didn't want him to be with other people than me, but I knew that if he waited for me… it would be pointless. He would never see me again. I looked up at his eyes, seeing his shocked expression… Yet, every time we cross eyes, I can't help but see those emotions I saw four months ago in his eyes, even if he showed other emotions. Then he looked away from me and I felt his hands around mine tighten.

"I-I'll wait for you… to come back…" I looked at him, my eyes blinking. I smiled sadly at his blush. I just had that urge to hug him and tell him I'd stay, and never leave him, but I knew that wasn't possible.

"H-hum… Rai-chan, Tatsuki-chan and me will be leaving first. Take care of yourself! Send us a mail when you get there!" I looked as they left together. I knew she wanted me to have some alone time with Ichigo.

"Bye…!" I waved goodbye at them and returned my attention to Ichigo, who still couldn't look at me. I sighed.

"Ichigo… Please don't wait for me… I won't be coming back…" he looked at me, shock blending into his features.

"What do you mean, you won't be coming back?" he held me by my shoulders, shaking my body slightly. I knew how he felt. I loved him and I didn't want to lose him, but I didn't want him to wait for nothing. I don't want to be in his way. I looked down, avoiding his eyes, brushing his arms away.

"I will stay in America for the rest of my life… I won't be coming back to Karakura Town ever again…" I tried holding back the tears I've being desperately keeping to myself these past months. "I'm sorry." I turned around and took my bag and headed to the classroom door.

As I opened the door, about to step out, I felt a pair of strong arm hold me back, a small breeze brushing against my hair. I held onto my bag tighter. I felt his head against mine, his arms asking me not to leave, but I couldn't… I had my own reasons…

It hurt me seeing him like this. He wasn't himself at all. He'd never being that sentimental with me before. It was the first time he hugged me liked this – begging me to stay.

"Please… at least, spend these few last hours with me…" I felt his body tremble, shake. I tried looked at his face, but failed. I just let my bag fall and held his arms.

"Ichigo…"

_**Four months ago…**_

I looked at the falling snow in front of me. It was beautiful, I loved snow. I always wished I could pass my Christmas with the one I dearly loved, but this wish would never be fulfilled.

Christmas was in a month. I… I don't even know if I'll make it past Christmas Eve.

*knock* *knock*

"Come in." I couldn't even recognize or hear my own voice. It was so sore… I sounded like an eighty years old grandma. It was even hard to raise the tone of my voice now.

"Hey, Rai." I looked up, seeing Uryu Ishida. I smiled. He was the only person who knew about me now. My only friend.

"Hey, Ishida." I looked at him sit down.

The truth is, I never left Karakura Town. I was always here, close to where Ichigo is. It's so ironic now that I think of it… I've lied to everyone that I'm leaving for America… and yet, I am here, just a few kilometres from my closest friends. And there here, I find one of my classmates, Ishida. He's being coming over almost every day for the past month, knowing how my condition has gotten worst.

"How's it going?" I smiled at his question. It was always the same, I would always reply the same thing.

"Could be better…" I heard him breathing deeply.

"I'm sorry…" I looked at him. Why was he apologizing?

"Why…?"

"I can't do anything for you… knowing that you had cancer all this time, all I could do was watch and do nothing." I almost laughed.

"It's nothing. It's not your fault. I can't be cured… So I'm waiting for my time to be up now."

Eight months ago, I found out that I had cancer. The doctor said that it was a brain tumor, and that he would have been able to treat it if they found out earlier. Let's say I'm unlucky…

"So, what's new?" I tried to lighten up his mood. Seriously, before, at school, I always thought he was cool and hard to get close to, but once we get to know him, he's very nice and sweet. "Is Ichigo… well?" I just couldn't stop myself from asking this question every day. I somehow felt like a stalker. I smiled at the thought.

"Ichigo broke up with Inoue." What? My eyes widened. They were just fine yesterday.

"What happened?" Ichigo had started dating Orihime just last week, from what Ishida said, and they seemed very happy together.

"I overheard him say… that he can't forget about you." W… what…? "Rai, why don't you just tell him the truth? That you've never gone to America and that you're right here, in Karakura Town?" I sighed.

"I didn't want him to be sad… I knew he'd go through everything with me… But I don't want him seeing me like this… I've lost my legs… my arms… I can barely move my fingers now… I can't even eat anymore… Soon, I won't be able to think properly, to talk properly… I don't want him seeing me like this… I don't want him to suffer seeing me like this." I felt tears roll down my cheek as I said this. "Ishida… I'm sorry I'm making you do this… but everything'll be over once I die… Everyone, even you can believe I left for America."

_**Today…**_

I looked at the pink cherry blossoms in front of me. I sighed. It's almost been a year since I died.

I still remember that day clearly, as if it was only yesterday. I remember dying in the hospital, dad and mom around me, Ishida close by, but then I woke up again, as if everything was a dream. But instead, I found myself at my favourite cherry blossom tree, the place where Ichigo and I had started dating… and the place where I told him I was leaving for America. I felt like I was alive again, but I noticed a chain was tied to my chest and that tree, so I couldn't leave that place.

For some reason, that chain has being getting shorter recently. And I also heard some weird cries out there…

**ICHIGO POV**

I opened the mailbox, hoping to see mail from Rai, but once again, I was disappointed with the empty mailbox. She had never said she'd be sending me mails… But every day, I kind of hoped she would. She wasn't easy to forget… especially with everything that we have gone through together…

"Ichigo!" I turned around, seeing Rukia flying at me with her shinigami glove in her outstretched hand.

"W-wah…?" I stepped back as she pushed me out of my body.

"A hollow appeared! Follow me!" without any hesitation, I followed her footsteps. I started hearing the cries of the hollow close by, feeling an uneasy familiarity with the voice.

"It's here!" As I looked, my eyes widened. It was the favourite spot of Rai… It was her favourite cherry blossom tree. I clenched my fist. How can a hollow be there?

I looked at the hollow, its back was facing me, and somehow, I saw that it was trembling… But I didn't care, I just removed my sword from my back and charged towards it. Suddenly, from the corners of my eyes, I saw something swipe towards me. My eyes widened as I noticed that it was the hollow's tail. I tried blocking it, but it sent me flying.

"Ichigo!" Ow… "Be careful!" I tried standing up and look at the hollow. It cried again, I don't know why, but each cry was like a stab to my heart.

I looked up.

Black hair. Silver eyes.

"… Rai…?" What was happening…? Is that… Rai…? Why would she be here? Hasn't… she gone to America…? My questions have only being replied by a deep cry, the cry reminding me of a lost familiarity. It couldn't be her. She couldn't be there. But her eyes… they were too unique for me to have mistaken them…

"Kurosaki! Kuchiki-san!" I recognized Ishida's voice.

"Ishida! What are you doing here?" I looked at Rukia, and then at him. He had his fists clenched.

"This is… Rai." My heart skipped. I don't know how many times, but my heart skipped. I looked back at the Hollow. This is Rai? How could this be…? W-Why did she…? No… H-how did this happen…?

"Ichigo! What are you doing? Don't stand there!"

"Kuchiki-san… Rai was his ex-girlfriend…"

What am I going to do…? Why has Rai turned into a Hollow…? What happened…? Wasn't she in America…? How did she… die? Why didn't I know… any of this…?

"STAY AWAAAAY!" I felt my body hit the ground as I heard her voice. A voice I haven't heard in, what I've felt like, an eternity… I stood up and looked at her.

"Are you… Rai…?"

"STAY AWAY FROM MEEEEE!" the same thing repeated again. I let myself loose as she slammed her tail against me.

"Ichigo!"

"Kurosaki!"

"Rai… what happened…?" I stood up again, brushing the blood off my lips. "Why are you… here…?" I wanted to know why. I wanted to know what happened. But she only replied me with one of her pained cries.

"Ichigo! You better stay away from her! She's lose her conscience soon!"

"Rai… why don't you answer me…?"

"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRR!" Her cries were longer and louder, yet, more and more pain I felt from them. Why wouldn't she answer me…? Has she really lost her sanity…?

I gasped as I felt fingers grab my body off the floor. I looked shocked at her, oxygen barely making its way through my lungs.

"ICHIGO!"

"I hate you…! I hate you for doing this to me!" I gasped for air. Why was she doing this? "They turned me into a monster because of you…!" Her shaking cry made me shiver. The raising sadness I heard in her voice just a little while ago was almost gone.

"Rai! Stop it!" Ishida's voice sounded distant. How did he know it was her…?

Suddenly, I felt her grip around me loosen. She let me fall on the ground, following by another of her scream. I looked at her. She looked like she was going to burst. I clenched my fists.

"Ichigo! Cut through her with your Zanpakuto!" Cut through her…? I looked at Rai. The red in her eyes disappeared.

"Ichigo… please…" her voice was normal once again. It was the voice I missed so much. I didn't want her to leave me again. "Kill me…" I can't.

"Ichigo! Do it!" I'm sorry, Rukia. I can't. I can't hurt her. "She won't disappear! She'll be going to Soul Society like Orihime's brother!" I know. But I still can hurt her. I can't stab my Zanpakuto through her.

"Rai…" I walked forward, trying to reach out to her.

"I… chi… go…" her voice trembled again. "Kill… me…" _I don't want to hurt you…_ We were both thinking the same thing. We don't want to hurt each other…

I looked up. And then I noticed a black gate was starting to open. My eyes widened.

"W-what… is that?" I looked towards Rukia, her eyes showing fear and shock. Ishida was dumbstruck.

"Ichigo! Stab her immediately! They'll planning to take her away!" What?

"ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!" I covered my ears in a rush. The scream was piercing, painful. It felt like needles stabbing through my ears.

"-chigo!" I snapped my eyes open. My eyes widened. A huge black hand stretched out of the black opening and took Rai. She didn't fight back.

"No! Rai!" I picked up my Zanpakuto and ran towards to hand, planning to cut it down.

But the gate closed in front of me.

"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAII!" I breathed heavily. I looked at Rai being taken away with my own eyes… and I couldn't do anything. I fell on my knees. What good am I for?

"Ichigo!"

"Kurosaki!"

I felt drips of water fall on me. I looked up. Rain was falling. Rai… I couldn't… save her…

"Are you okay, Ichigo?" I turned my head towards Rukia and… Ishida. The moment I looked at him, I felt my blood boil despite the cold rain against my skin. I picked him by his collar.

"What happened to her? Why has she turned into a Hollow?" He was avoiding my gaze.

"I don't know." I couldn't control my trembling fists anymore. I sent him flying with my punch.

"Stop it, Ichigo!" I glared at Rukia.

"She died a year ago…" I looked at Ishida. She died a year ago…? How did this happen…? "She lied to everyone that she was leaving to America… but the truth was, she had cancer and has being staying at my father's hospital…"

… What…?

**_A year later…_**

My blood boiled as I watched the memories of Ulquiorra scatter around all of us. I clenched my fists, took a step forward. I wanted to kill Ulquiorra and Yammi right on the spot. But I barely felt the warm hand on my shoulder. I looked back.

"Rai, calm down." I bowed.

"Sorry, Aizen-sama." I glared at Ulquiorra and Yammi.

"Don't touch Kurosaki Ichigo. He's _my_ treat." No one could kill him. I won't let anyone kill him.

I'll be the one who _kill_ him. I'll be the one standing while he _begs_ for his life.

_The End..._


End file.
